Hammer & Tongs

The smithy is remarkable for it’s longevity and for it’s ability to adapt over the ages. It’s location near the original garrison building but far enough away to allow for the proposed armory that was to be built between the two but never was. The north smithy was built later, closer to the norther gate during it’s construction, but was destroyed in the Great Fire.
When the garrison fell into obscurity, the smithy was left cold for many years until a traveling blacksmith stopped on his way to procure ore from the northern mountains, and offered his services in exchange for use of the forge. The garrison commander agreed and even allowed the smith to charge a small fee for the repair work he did. The next year he returned again to the same arrangement. The following year he brought a skilled leather worker with him. Two years later he returned with an apprentice in tow and a second wagon of ore. Three years later he simply didn’t go home.
With the growing town, and the caravan that were beginning to pass through with greater regularity, there was plenty of work, maintaining and repairing armor and weapons for those venturing into the wilds, and for those who needed more common metal goods that make a house a home.
When the Great Fire destroyed the northern gate smithy, the smiths who worked there were simply hired on at Hammer & Tongs providing some new talent and led to the start of a fledgling jewelry shop; Trinkets.
Hammer & Tongs offeres, sharpening, weapon repair, armor repair and basic blacksmithing for building materials, and household items. They are staffed with three smiths and one jeweler, and the forge has not been extinguished in close to 17 years.
Current Proprietor: Niphon Tinter. He has no formal blacksmith training himself but has a very sharp business acumen and has doubled the work the smithy recieves in the past 8 years and trippled it’s profits in that same time. The former owner, Trondo Throwhammer (now semi-retired) still serves as one of the smiths and oversees all activity around the forge.
External Relationships: Niphon had a contentious start with the Madam of Bed Fellows at the outset as he started running the forge round the clock to minimize downtime on the anvils and the noise carried to the former barracks. A discount extended to the brothel and a promise of good report from the ladies to their clients, has all but melted away any anamosity that existed between the two.
He is also friends with Izel of Izel's Market (truth be told it’s hard not to be), and views him as both a brother in arms and a rival. Like The Battered Ram, Hammer & Tongs has begun using the Market for more and more common goods but chafes when Izel imports metal goods that he feels are a part of his domain. His relationship with the priest of The Chapel is solid, polite and business focused. While not a religious man per se, Niphon has attended services on high holy days, befriending the priest and earning his business for decorative forged items that the Chapel needs. He charges full price but always returns 20% of the cost to the donation box when the job is done. He is intrigued and currently somewhat obsessed with the current Librarian. Niphon frequently invites him to drinks in The Battered Ram to pepper him with questions about economic theories and history, two of his personal pet interests. He has even begun reading again as The Library has recently recieved a new collection of histories related to the fall of first kingdom; an economic powerhouse that colapsed from within. He is eager to discuss what he is learning. Niphon’s relationship with the Dualgate City Council is pleasant. He pays his taxes and generally avoids confrontation with the government whenever possible.

Type

Craftsman, Blacksmith / Smithy